Man accidentally fires gun through apartment wall

Colorado Springs police said a woman and her child narrowly escaped being shot Tuesday evening when a neighbor accidentally fired his gun.

The incident happened at an apartment complex in the 3700 block of E. San Miguel Street near the Academy Boulevard intersection. It was reported to police at 7:46 p.m.

Police said Shelly Jones and her 10-year-old son were watching television when a handgun round penetrated the walls of their living room, nearly hitting them.

A man in the apartment next door had a handgun on his couch when he accidentally fired it, police said.

“It’s disheartening to know that you could just be sitting at home and be inches away from a bullet,” Jones said. “I had drywall all over my body from the (hole) in the wall. I was dazed because (the bullet) hit (near) my head. I felt the heat of it.”

Jones said the bullet would have hit her son if he’d been sitting on his bed as he normally does, and not on the floor as he was that night.

“He didn’t sleep well,” she said. “We spoke with a counselor at school.”

Justin Westerfield, 26, was arrested and is facing a felony charge of illegally discharging a firearm.

“He tried to apologize but I didn’t want to talk with him,” Jones said.

She said her family intends to move to a safer neighborhood.